Liquid-level indicator.



E. H. SCHULTZ.

LIQUID LEVEL iNDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 17. 1914.

LWQ EQSE. Patented July 25,1916.

EMIL SCHULTZ, 0F EVERETT, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM C.

COURTNEY, 0F EVERETT, WASHINGTDN.

LIQUID-LEVEL INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 19163.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMIL H. SCHULTZ, acitizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county ofSnohomish and State of Washington, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Liquid-Level Indicators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to liquid levelzindicators and is especiallydesigned for use on motor cars to indicate the level of gasolene in thegasolene supply tank, enabling the operator to observe at any and alltimes the amount of gasolene remaining in the tank.

. lVhile especially designed for 'uSe in the connection referred to, itwill, of course, be

understood that the indicator may be used in a variety of ways and for avariety of purposes such as indicating the. level of liquid in barrelsor receptacles of any kind, large or small.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereindescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In are accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view partly in sideelevation and partly in section showing the apparatus of this inventionas applied to the gasolene tank of a inotor car. Fig.2 is an enlargedvertical section through'thestandpipe and parts immediately adjacentthereto. Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in sectionshowing the indicator associated directly with a tank.

In carrying out the present invention, I employ a standpipe 1 which isapproximately twice the height of the tank 2 containing. the liquid thelevel of which is to be indicated. In case the tank 3 is located underthe seat of an automobile so that the standpipe cannot be placedtherein, a pipe 3 is used to connect the bottom of the tank with thebottom of the standpipe so that the same level will be maintained at alltimes in both the standpipe and tank. Where, however, it is possible toplace the lower end of the standpipe directly in the tank, the pipe 3may be dispensed with and a plurality of entrance holes 4 formed in thebottom of the stand pipe 1 to allow the liquid to enter said standpipeas shown in Fig. 3.

The upper portion and approximately the upper half of the standpipe 1 isprovided at diametrically opposite points with slots 5 extendinglongitudinally thereof for 'the purpose of receiving a cross bar 6 theend portions of which are movable. up and; down in the slots 5. Thecross bar 6 is connected fixedly to and carried by a vertical stem 7 onthe lower end of which-is fastened a float 8 contained in the standpipe1 and adapted to rise and fall with the liquid level. The

i standpipe 1 is adapted to be fastened to a supporting wall such as thedash of an automobile by means of straps or brackets 9 which may beriveted or otherwise fastened to the standpipe as shown at 10, the endportions of the straps on brackets 9 being formed with holes 11 toreceive screws or bolts whereby said standpipe'is securely fa tened in afixed position.

Arranged at opposite sides of the stand pipe are graduated scale plates12 and 13, said plates being graduated reversely or in other words, thescale plate 12 having the graduations running from top to bottom thereofand the scale plate 13 having the graduations running from the bottom tothe top thereof. These graduations are shown as numbered in gallons, thereverse arrangement enabling the operator at a glance to tell how manygallons have been consumed and how many gallons remain in the tank. Thescale plates are connected to and supported by the stand pipe 1 by meansof straps 14 preferably arranged between the top and bottom of the scaleplates as shown and fastened to said parts by rivets or theirequivalent. The top of the stand-pipe is preferably closed by a threadedand removable cap 15 to give access to the parts contained inthestandpipe. The cap 15 also forms a convenient attachment for anadditional bracket 16 for fastening the standpipe to a supporting wall.At its opposite ex-' tremities the cross bar 6 is provided with theindicating pointers 17 which move along the graduated scale plates 12and 13 so as to register with the graduations thereof. Collars 18 on thecross bar 6 form guiding shoulders which bear against the inner surfaceof the standpipe thus insuring a rectilinear movement of the float stem7.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will now be understood that as the level of liquid in thetank 2 falls, the float 8 descends gradually, a. corresponding movementbeing therefore 1mparted,to the cross 6 causing the pointers 7 to movealong the scale plates 12 and 13. Therefore, the operator" at a glancemay tell how many gallons-of liquid have been consumed and how many.gallons remain in the tank 2. The arrangement shown and describedproduces a simple and inexpensive construction and an indicating devicewhich is thoroughly reliable and accurate in operation. 10.

'What I- claim is In a liquid level indicator, a standpipe the height ofwhich is approximately twice as'great as the liquid storage tank inconnection with which the indicator is used, said pipe being formed at.diametrically opposite points with slots extending longitudinally of theupper half thereof'and also having a liquid. entrance opening at" thebottom thereof, graduated scale plates located at .opposite sides ofsaid standpipe andsupport'ed thereby, a float in said pipe, a stemextending upwardly from said float, a cross bar on the upper extremityof said stem extending through said slots and having indicating pointersat the opposite ends thereof projecting from opposite sides of thestandpipe and movable along said scale plates, and

guiding shoulders on said cross bar contact-

